CHARLEROI, Pa. — The Charleroi magistrate’s office has been condemned after pipes burst inside the building, causing extensive water damage and forcing the cancellation of court hearings.
Charleroi Borough Manager Joe Manning said the damage was discovered Wednesday while hearings were underway, after a police officer noticed water coming from inside the building.
“A police officer who was there for a hearing came down the hall, heard something, went and saw the water running — that’s when he called the fire department,” Manning said.
Manning said water later began pouring through ceiling light fixtures, creating dangerous conditions inside the building.
“We couldn’t see any of the pipes. They were inside the walls,” Manning said. “Water was coming through the lighting fixtures, which is what made it so dangerous and uninhabitable.”
Photos taken by code enforcement show collapsed drop ceilings, flooded floors, soaked carpets and debris scattered throughout offices and hallways.
“It was pretty surprising because the drop ceilings had come down,” Manning said. “There was a lot of debris on the floor. Carpets were soaked.”
While the exterior of the building appears undamaged, Manning said the interior is unsafe, and the building has been locked and closed to the public.
Washington County court administrators canceled all hearings at the Charleroi Magistrate’s Office for the remainder of the week. Some magistrates are on standby to handle urgent cases.
Borough officials are working to secure a temporary location and hope to resume hearings by Monday.
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